Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an arc.

I didn't enjoy his as much as I had hoped. It follows the story of a group of people who come together at a lido, hoping to find connection and companionship. While the premise seemed promising, I found the execution to be lacking. Additionally, the pacing of the story felt slow at times, making it difficult for me to stay engaged.

However, despite my reservations, there were some positive aspects to the book. Lyndhurst's writing style is easy to follow, and there were moments of humor and charm sprinkled throughout the narrative. The setting of the lido was also vividly described, creating a sense of atmosphere that added depth to the story.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

Gabriella, Helen and Ian…they don’t know each other but they each have a reason for wanting to spend their days at the local lido rather than at home. The three become friend and help and support each other through their trough times. Really enjoyable book about the support and love that a stranger can give.

Absolutely loved this book!

The writing style was really good and I look forward to reading any other books from this author in the future :)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This book is about 3 people who are in the midst of something that's affecting their lives and they meet at a local lido. They do not seem to have anything in common but the book tracks their developing friendship alongside their personal relationships and and events in their lives. I found it fascinating, and loved each of the characters, I didn't want the book to end.
Other reviewers have noted a lack of continuity, some with major issues and I note that some specific instances no longer appear, suggesting corrections have been made. However, there are others that require addressing (Helen is called 'Marie' and 'M', Gabriella apparently modelled in the early noughties when she would have been about 10 years old, the length of time Ian has been out of work varies, references to children are often incorrect, brunch with Lana becomes lunch) and I could detail many more. I also thought it a great pity that with all the girls' names available the author chose exactly the same 2 given to the daughters of the widower in the film 'The Holiday' - a cliche to be avoided!
That said, the essence of the book is an interesting story with lovely characters, and I enjoyed it despite the poor editing, please don't let it put you off this author's work!

If you like books about unlikely friendships, this is one you need to read. It's the story of three people who feel alone and all turn to a lido, or sort of leisure center, to cope, and as a result, find lasting friendship and healing at the swimming pool.

Gabriella is a recently widowed single mother of two young boys. Helen is stuck in a marriage in which she feels invisible and unloved and Ian has lost his job and is terrified to tell his husband because he feels he married above himself and he would be dumped as a result. Every time the three meet at the lido, new details come out about what problems each of them has and they support each other and become involved in each other's lives.

I loved this book. I think Gabriella and Helen are the two strongest characters. Ian's choice to not let his partner know what was going on nearly cost him his marriage. However, one of the funniest scenes in the book was when Ian asks Helen to come over and help him explain what's going on, and he blurts out something that he and Helen had not discussed and she couldn't get out of there fast enough.

You'll be cheering for happy endings for all these friends and the other people in their lives.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are mine and freely given.

I thought this was going to be significantly better than what it turned out to be. Not a mandatory purchase for any library.

The Lonely Hearts Lido Club features three strangers -- Gabriella, Helen, and Ian -- who are all at the lowest points in their lives. As fate would have it, they all meet each other during this most challenging of times. The companionship and guidance that they can offer each other is something that sounds very interesting. Sadly, I find that the execution of this story is lacking.

In this book, we see how even strangers have great effects on our lives. No matter how seemingly insignificant we might be to each other at first sight, we will never know how much we can change one person's life. The story is refreshing, to be honest. Here we see three people all feeling lost coming together to build something beautiful in their circle.

As much as it saddens me to give this a one-star rating, I think it's really what it deserves. All throughout the book, I just felt like I kept waiting for something to unfold, and then nothing unfolds. The interactions between the three main characters honestly don't make sense most of the time. There is also a good chunk of the book that I felt was unnecessary. I know this could have been churned out better if the story and characters had more direction.

I'm sure this book just wasn't for me, but it might work for other people.

The Lonely Hearts Lido Club is funny and heartwarming. The perfect easy pick me up read to lift your spirits.

I read it and it wasn’t my favourite but Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the early access to this book.

I found this book to be heartwarming and all 3 characters were so wonderfully written. All of their issues were so relatable making for a more enjoyable reading experience.

I really loved the sound and premise of this book, and the characters of Helen, Gabrielle and Ian are interesting and relatable. However, they did feel a little on the flat side, which made it much harder for the reader to engage with their stories.
Furthermore, I wonder whether this manuscript had a lot of editorial work done to it, because it seemed somewhat jumpy and bitty; we moved around a lot with little transition moments; there was also a lot of repetition, even within scenes, going over the same ground, which made me think I'd re-read parts etc. This resulted in a slightly uncomfortable reading process.

I really wanted to like this book, and although I finished it, I think the manuscript had so much more potential than what was delivered.

The Lonely Hearts Lido Club by Charlie Lyndhurst

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Three strangers all caught in the deep end… but can they help each other float through?

After tragically losing her husband and being left a single mother to two children, Gabriella has only one escape for herself – swimming at a local London lido to clear her mind.

A constant stream of both new and familiar faces visit the lido like Gabriella – but she doesn’t suspect any are suffering quite like her, until she meets Helen – who swims to escape her emotionless husband, and Ian – who feels lost in the deep end after becoming unemployed and unable to tell his husband.

My Opinion

There is something pleasant about three strangers coming together to help each other through their troubles. A fun and heart-warming novel that will play with your emotions in places. This would make for a lovely holiday read.

Rating 4/5

Gabriella is a recent widew trying to raise two young children and not faring well. She decides to talk to Helen and Ian one day at the lido. Helen is having trouble in her marriage since her husband retired, and Ian is lying to his husband about going to work every day after secretly losing his job. The three sort of band together and begin to share their problems, eventually becoming good friends and helping each other out along the way. It's a pretty standard feel-good type of book, but I enjoyed it a lot. 4 stars.

This was a great read. Lighthearted while still being real. I love the approach of the three-pronged friendship, with each character dealing with their own situations and struggles. I would recommend for anything looking for an uplifting, friend-centric book.

I was really invested in each characters story but I especially liked Gabriella, her story was heartbreaking. The three strangers become fast friends and I particularly liked the ending. It is a fun, heartwarming novel and I can't wait to read more from this author. Loved it!

Gabriella, Ian and Helen all meet at the local lido, where they are going to hide from everything else happening in their lives. Can they help each other and themselves? Told from all three points of view, but easy to keep up with

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this enchanting novel. I was really invested in each characters story but I especially liked Gabriella, her story was heartbreaking. The three strangers become fast friends and I particularly liked the ending. It is a fun, heartwarming novel and I can't wait to read more from this author. Loved it! Thank you netgalley and Hera books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

My rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐5/5

Three strangers all caught in the deep end… but can they help each other float through?

After tragically losing her husband and being left a single mother to two children, Gabriella has only one escape for herself – swimming at a local London lido to clear her mind.

A constant stream of both new and familiar faces visit the lido like Gabriella – but she doesn’t suspect any are suffering quite like her, until she meets Helen – who swims to escape her emotionless husband, and Ian – who feels lost in the deep end after becoming unemployed and unable to tell his husband.

Grateful for new companionship, these three strangers decide to make their friendship into something more permanent: The Lonely Hearts Lido Club.
#netgalley #thelonelyheartslidoclub

This book was everywhere in Instagram and I wanted so bad to know what happened. And I'm so happy I did. Three very different people make friends at the local Lido and they help each other to move on with their lives. A lovely idea of friendships formed and problems tackled. I loved the idea of three total strangers being thrown together all with one thing in common, a mutual love for the lido.

A beautiful book with a beautiful ending.

Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read this book